Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan to concentrate on politics after October

Telugu movie star and Jana Sena founder Pawan Kalyan on Monday announced he would start playing an active role in politics from October when his film commitments will be over.

“My film shooting will be done by October by which time all the district teams of Jana Sena will also be in place in Andhra Pradesh. From then on, I will spend majority of my time in politics and do films only when time permits,” he announced at a press conference in Vijayawada Monday evening.

“I will tour all parts of the state and take up people’s causes. Every district has once (major) problem or the other and I will learn those problems and work for their solution,” he added.

Kalyan, who launched the Jana Sena in March 2014, supported the TDP-BJP combine and contributed to their victory in Andhra Pradesh in 2014.

Subsequently, he concentrated on films and only occasionally took up political activities.

Last year, he took up the special category status issue for AP and organised a couple of public meetings but later remained silent.

He also espoused the cause of kidney patients in Uddanam, Srikakulam district and supported people opposing the proposed mega aqua food park in West Godavari district.

Asked if he would undertake a foot march, the Jana Sena chief shot back, saying there were several ways in which he could go to the people.

Referring to a survey report quoted by Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao which gave only 1-2% votes to the Jana Sena, Kalyan quipped “I am happy he gave me 1-2%. I would have been happy even if he gave me zero.”

“I don’t know what my strength is unless I go to the people. Only then can I talk about my strength,” the actor- politician said in reply to a question.

Asked about his views on political defections, Kalyan remarked “We are not in pre-independence era. It’s the time of opportunistic politics. Every party is encouraging defections.”

To another query, the star-politician said he had no “hidden friendship” or “hidden agenda” with the ruling TDP in Andhra.

“Did I not support the TDP and the BJP (in 2014)? It was open and we had a common programme. There is no hidden agenda now,” he maintained.

“I will go against the TDP, if required, on people’s issues. I am here to champion the people’s causes.”

Earlier, Kalyan had a one-on-one interaction with AP chief minister Chandrababu Naidu in the Secretariat at Velagapudi.

Later, the two held a meeting with a team of medical experts from the Harvard University on the rampant kidney disease in Uddanam.

The chief minister said a state-of-the-art research centre would be set up in collaboration with the Centre to study the cause of the kidney disease that affected 13% of people in the Uddanam region.